Cable Break In for the Naysayers

balrog, there are many important variables are involved, on top of aging every minute listener (LOL). to name a few: 1) temperature and moisture in the room (increased humidity lowers mass of air, thus makes sound “thin”). 2) Furniture, pillows, resonances of pictures / etc hanging on the walls, floor cover, people location in the room impact acoustics. 3) Incoming AC power noise, harmonics, amplitude, IR drop, which changes every time new load connected to shared power grid etc. 4) wireless devices usage and proximity to the sensitive gears..

Cables and equipment break-in is real. It’s just that the electronics—especially the capacitor components—take much longer (three to four times longer) than cables.

Here’s an interesting point that often goes unnoticed, i.e., interrupting the break-in process for cables can slow it down. The reason is that cable “break-in” mainly involves the settling of the dielectric and conductor interfaces, and sometimes a slight redistribution of charges in the insulation. If you stop using the cables or unplug the system for long periods, this process can partially “pause,” meaning it will take longer for the cable to fully settle into its optimal performance.  This is stated in Cardas cable website too.

The effect is usually less dramatic than with electronics, where capacitors and other components can take days or weeks of continuous operation to stabilize. With cables, repeated use and continuous signal flow tend to speed up the process, but occasional interruptions won’t reverse the progress.  They just extend the overall time needed.

I've NEVER been a believer of break-in with the exception of a very few items. My belief is peoples hearing is changing and adjusting to the new sounds and differences. I have personally seen examples of this happening over the years. I have no doubt people are hearing differences over time but I just don't believe it has anything to do with equipment break-in!

@lanx0003  Just a guess, but from your comments, I'm thinking you leave your equipment powered up 24/7?  As for Cardas, I don't know that I would put much faith in anything a cable manufacturer has to say.  The most common thing I would note from them is that cable break-in is real.  And it is always longer than the return period.  Color me cynical. 

The most common thing I would note from them is that cable break-in is real.  And it is always longer than the return period.

@bigtwin  First of all, how’s your giant sub doing? Second, I didn’t leave the power on 24/7, so maybe it takes a longer time to finally break in. For example, my DH Labs HDMI 2.1 / I²S cable took more than a week to settle in. I usually listen to music about six hours a day during the week (and much longer on weekends), while the manufacturer recommends about 40 hours. The Mirage USB cable is supposed to take even longer (60–80 hours), but I’ll admit — with the Mirage, I felt the sound opened up after two to three days and stayed that way. Maybe my system isn’t quite revealing enough to discern the Mirage’s ultimate performance. But with the I²S cable, I could testify (in court!) that the transformation during the break-in period was dramatic.

Usually, a cable won’t take long but electronics usually take much longer — sometimes three to four times longer than cables. And if you don’t have enough listening hours behind you, it’s possible the component will remain unbroken-in before the return period expires.

Train your ears to adapt to the sound and perception changes. I used to be in the nonbeliever camp until one day my Harmony Micro DAC suddenly transformed into a sweet-sounding DAC.  Before that, I almost initiated the RMA process to return it and take a $120 hit for the non-warranty repair return.

Lastly, some people say it could simply be a new sound sensation rather than an actual change. I respectfully disagree. The changes include tighter and more present bass, a transformation from a dry or edgy sound to one that is sweet and smooth, and an expanded soundstage. These effects are definitely more than just a new sound perception.